Carver County was an early adopter of GIS (Geographic Information System) technology, first implementing a system in the mid-1990s. Initially, there were a small number of users; these were in departments that focused on land use. Over time, however, the use of GIS spread throughout the county for a multitude of different functions. This case study shows everyone in Carver County benefited from the expanded program.

Smart communities are local governments that look for ways to build safe, healthy, resilient communities for their constituents. Citizens are calling on governments to be more transparent, efficient, collaborative, and productive. A government that meets these challenges is a Smart Community.